HS2 costs could double to over £80bn, says think tank

The cost of the planned high-speed railway linking London to Birmingham and the North is likely to rise by a further £30 billion to £80 billion once ministers approve schemes to mitigate the environmental impact and build transport links to the line, a think-tank claims.

The Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) is urging ministers to drop the project. In a report today it says that the railway “defies economic logic” and will cost every household £3,000 to build.